asked the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that at a school being built in East Stirlingshire by the aid of a Government grant the fair wages clause is not being observed as regards certain building workers; and if he will take steps to see that standard wages are paid?

I assume that the hon. Member's question relates to the new Advanced Division school at Falkirk. I am informed that the contract includes a fair wages clause which, so far as the Education Authority are aware, is not being infringed. There are apparently two building employers' federations having members in the area and they have different rates. The execution of contracts for school building is a matter for local settlement and I have no power to intervene.

If the proper rate of wages is not being paid, cannot the hon. Member withhold the grant?

As a matter of fact, the grant is supplied in the general block and is not allocated to particular purposes.

As the hon. Gentleman has issued a letter advising the authorities to use home-grown timber and other home-produced materials, can he not issue a letter to the local authorities asking them to pay trade union wages?

In this case, the authority have the fair wages clause in the contract, but the question of the interpretation of it is a different matter.

But is the hon. Member aware that this is a case of definite evasion of the building trade union rates, and can he not take steps with the local authority to see that Government money is not used to pay lower wages?

The statement I have given is that which was supplied by the education authority, who say, specifically, that they are paying the trade union rate and observing the fair wages clause.

When did it become the policy of the hon. Gentleman to take the word of a Tory education authority as against the word of a trade union?